Environmental Science for a Changing World First Canadian Edition Test Bank

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Page1Guiding Question 1-1What constitutes the “environment” and what fields of study collaborate under theumbrella of environmental science?1.Environmental science relies or draws on which of the following?A)natural sciences such as ecologyD)humanities such as literatureB)applied sciences such as engineeringE)All of the aboveC)social sciences such as anthropologyAns:EDifficultylevel:easy2.An example of applied science would be ____________.A)designing a solar panel for increased efficiencyB)observing chimpanzee behaviour in a rainforestC)collecting ice core samples to determine carbon dioxide levels 100 000 years agoD)determining the diet of Greenland Vikings based on analysis of their garbageE)counting the number of geese on a pondAns:ADifficultylevel:medium3.Of the following, which one is an example of an empirical study?A)developing more efficient photovoltaic cells for electricity productionB)producing models of the impact of various greenhouse gas concentrations onglobal temperatureC)developing ultra-fast passenger trainsD)improving the efficiency of electricity transmissionE)developing pest control methods that do not include pesticidesAns:BDifficultylevel:medium4.Which of the following describes an environment?A)fish living in a streamB)bacteria living in a human's intestinal tractC)mould growing on a wood stump in a forestD)a cat living in a houseE)All of the above describe an environment.Ans:EDifficultylevel:easy5.Which phrase best describes “environment”?A)the climate where an organism livesB)the living surroundings in which an organism existsC)the living and nonliving surroundings in which an organism existsD)the nonlivingsurroundings where an organism livesE)the domination of nonliving systems by living systemsAns:CDifficultylevel:easy

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Chapter 1Page26.What does an environment include?Ans:An environment includes the biological (living) and physical (nonliving)surroundings in which any given living organism exists.Difficultylevel:medium7.What is environmental science and what fields of study does it rely on?Ans:Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field of research that draws on thenatural (for example, ecology) and social sciences (for example, anthropology)and the humanities (for example, literature) in order to understand the naturalworld and our relationship to it.Difficultylevel:mediumGuiding Question 1-2What are some of the environmental dilemmas that humans face and why are many ofthese considered “wicked problems”? How do our attitudes affect how we deal with thesewicked problems?8.Which factors make up the “triple bottom line”?A)human, natural, and solarB)international, national, and localC)social, economic, and environmentalD)agricultural, financial, and environmentalE)solar energy, water, and airAns:CDifficultylevel:easy9.Due to their complexity, any given response to an environmental problem involvessignificant __________ and no one response is likely to present the ultimate solution.A)sliding reinforcersD)anthropogenicsB)trade-offsE)tragediesC)wicked problemsAns:BDifficultylevel:medium10.Which situation best describes the “tragedy of the commons”?A)A fisher uses a net to catch a large quantity of fish.B)Increasing amounts of pesticides need to be used over time to maintain the sameeffect on pests.C)An oil pipeline leaks.D)Sustainable forestry practices are applied to a plot of land in the rainforest.E)Herders put too many sheep in a public field because they think, “If I don't usethis available resource, someone else will.”Ans:EDifficultylevel:easy

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Chapter 1Page311.Modern fishing techniques use giant nets to harvest large numbers of fish in the shortterm. This may result in severely reduced populations of fish in the future. Which termbest describes the above scenario?A)time delayB)tragedy of the commonsC)sliding reinforcerD)extinctionE)These are all terms to describe what happens in the scenario.Ans:ADifficultylevel:medium12.What does it mean when an environmental issue is a “wicked problem”?A)It is created by people who care only about themselves.B)It is global in nature.C)It involves trade-offs that not everyone will be happy with.D)It is a problem that cannot be solved.E)None of the above describes “wicked problems.”Ans:CDifficultylevel:easy13.Refer to Infographic 1.3. The Green Revolution brought modern industrializedagricultural techniques to developing countries so they could better feed their growingpopulations. The idea is to achieve higher yields by taking advantage of better seedtypes, irrigation, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides. By doing this, less land, such asrainforest, would need to be converted to agriculture. Use the Infographic to describethe pros and cons of the Green Revolution on the environment.Ans:By preventing deforestation, more carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere,which helps to prevent global warming. Also, by keeping habitat intact,biodiversity will be better protected in those areas not converted into agriculture.However, by adding tractors, fossil fuels now need to be combusted, and thiscontributes to global warming. Chemicals added to crops will run off into waterand soil. Added irrigation can cause water shortages and soil problems.Difficultylevel:hard14.Refer to Infographic 1.6. Ethanol is often produced in locations where farmers alsogrow corn. Underground water reservoirs are used to grow both the corn and process theethanol. These reservoirs are being depleted in some areas of North America. Which ofthe social traps apply to the water depletion?Ans:Tragedy of the commons (no entity “owns” the groundwaterso each party drawsas much as they can to meet their needs until the unregulated resource is depleted)and Time Delay (a benefit of growing corn and producing ethanol is seen todaybut depleted ground water decades into the future would mean an inability toproduce either).Difficultylevel:medium

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Chapter 1Page415.Refer to Infographic 1.6. Antibiotics are routinely given to animals in confinementfacilities to avoid the spread of disease through dense populations. The antibiotics getinto the surrounding environment (water and soil) and select for populations ofantibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. When infected by such a strain, an animal orhuman will not respond to treatment with the antibiotic. Which social trap is in effecthere? What should be done about this?Ans:Sliding Reinforcer. We must be more careful in the application of antibiotics tohumans and livestock because what is helpful at first is no longer helpful and thenbecomes deadly over time. Many strains of bacteria exist that are resistant to all ofour available antibiotic treatments.Difficultylevel:medium16.How can the “tragedy of the commons” be applied to anthropogenic climate change?Ans:No one entity owns the atmosphere. It is common to all countries. We combustfossil fuels, and greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere where they trap heat andenhance the greenhouse effect. Unless regulations are enacted, eachindustry/nation will benefit from burning fossil fuels because it is in their ownbest interest. However, if everyone does this, the entire planet will suffer. Thistype of problem is difficult to solve because it is global and thus requires allnations to agree to reforms, without causing undue suffering to any particularparticipant.Difficultylevel:hardGuiding Question 1-3What challenges does humanity face in dealing with environmental issues and how canenvironmental literacy help us make more informed decisions?17.Most environmental problems can be traced to three underlying causes: the number ofhumans on this planet, utilization of resources at a very fast rate, and _________.A)deforestationB)affluenceC)fossil fuelsD)habitat lossE)pollutionAns:EDifficultylevel:easy18.The _________ is the land needed to provide the resources and assimilate the waste of aperson or population.A)carrying capacityD)ecological footprintB)biomassE)population demandC)ecological fingerprintAns:DDifficultylevel:easy

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Chapter 1Page519.The recent changes in global climate driven by human activities have the potential to_______________.A)alter weather patternsD)endanger speciesB)cause crop failuresE)All of the aboveC)raise sea levelsAns:EDifficultylevel:easy20.Which of the following is NOT an example of self-inflicted environmental damage doneby the Greenland Vikings?A)overgrazingB)used grassland to insulate their housesC)chopped down forests for fuel and home constructionD)the population grew to a few thousand individualsE)climate coolingAns:EDifficultylevel:medium21.What evidence did scientists use in Greenland to study atmospheric conditions duringthe Viking settlements?A)air bubbles trapped in ice coresD)insect fossilsB)mud core samplesE)the law of superpositionC)animal bones collected from middensAns:ADifficultylevel:medium22.How is anthropogenic climate change different from the climate change experienced bythe Greenland Vikings?A)It involves new chemical compounds.B)It is caused by human actions.C)It is a natural cycle the Earth goes through.D)It causes the average atmospheric temperature to decrease.E)It is caused by increased tectonic activity.Ans:BDifficultylevel:medium23.What is environmental literacy? Why is it important for individuals to have a strongunderstanding of environmental literacy when discussing environmental problemscaused by humans?Ans:Environmental literacy is a basic understanding of how ecosystems function andof the impact of our choices on the environment. Most environmental problemscan be traced to three causes: human population growth, overuse of resources, andpollution. It is important that people understand the impact that a growing humanpopulation has on Earth and how our increasing numbers are consuming resourcesat unsustainable rates. Additionally, it is important that individuals understandhow our activities generate pollution and how this pollution affects our health andthe environment.Difficultylevel:medium

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Chapter 1Page624.Refer to Infographic1.4. The consensus amongst climate scientists is that the recentchanges in global climate are being driven by human activity (primarily fossil fuelcombustion and deforestation). Use the Infographic to describe five attitudes people cantake in response to this global environmental issue.Ans:Technological Fix: human ingenuity will save the day so we don't need to changeour current habits or take any personal responsibility (for example, a chemical canbe created to react with and lower the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere).Evaluate and Respond: listen to the scientific consensus and take steps to reducegreenhouse gas emissions and live sustainably (for example, enact a carbon tax).Gloom and Doom: the problem is too overwhelming and catastrophe cannot beavoided. Rosy Optimism: Earth is huge and there's no way humans could possiblycause this large of an effect (it's probably just natural climate cycles that we don'tunderstand so we can ignore the issue). Frontier: resources such as oil are here forus to use. We'll find other resources for energy when oil runs out and to help usdeal with any effects of climate change such as crop loss or water shortage.Difficultylevel:hard25.Refer to Infographic 1.4. Which attitude(s) is/are the most helpful in responding toenvironmental problems? Why?Ans:The attitude espoused by Evaluate and Respond is the most helpful. This attitudelooks at the current environmental situation and attempts to address the problemby evaluating our options and choosing the most effective currently availablesolution. This attitude is the most helpful because it is flexible and willing tore-evaluate as we learn more. Environmental literacy informs our decisionmaking.Difficultylevel:mediumGuiding Question 1-4What does it mean to be sustainable and what are the characteristics of a sustainableecosystem?26.Which of the following is characteristic of a sustainable ecosystem?A)makes the most of renewable energyB)uses matter conservatively (recycles or reuses so nothing is wasted)C)keeps populations in checkD)depends on local biodiversityE)All of the aboveAns:EDifficultylevel:easy

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Chapter 1Page727.Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a sustainable ecosystem?A)uses renewable energyB)eliminates waste by reusing matterC)contains species that all depend on the same limited resourceD)recycles matterE)presence of local biodiversity to perform essential ecosystem processesAns:CDifficultylevel:easy28.What is carrying capacity?A)the impact a population has on its environmentB)the resources needed to support a population in its environmentC)the population size that an area can support indefinitelyD)a constant, invariant value that represents the amount of life Earth can supportE)the amount of pollution a natural ecosystem can withstand before it begins toexhibit negative symptomsAns:CDifficultylevel:medium29.Coal, natural gas, and oil are examples of ___________.A)renewable resourcesD)infinite resourcesB)nonrenewable resourcesE)unlimited resourcesC)alternative forms of energyAns:BDifficultylevel:easy30.Solar, wind,geothermal, and biomass energy sources are examples of _______.A)nonrenewable energyD)fossil fuelsB)finite energyE)unsustainable energyC)renewable energyAns:CDifficultylevel:easy31.Which of the following is a nonrenewable resource?A)wood from treesB)coalC)energy that comes from an infinitely available resourceD)solar energyE)wind energyAns:BDifficultylevel:easy32.A good example ofsustainability would be ___________.A)limiting commercial fishing to amounts that allow the fish population torepopulateB)using solar panels to generate electricityC)riding a bicycle to workD)purchasing products in packaging that can be recycledE)All of the choices listed above are good examples of sustainability.Ans:EDifficultylevel:easy

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Chapter 1Page833.What does it mean to be sustainable and what are four characteristics of a sustainableecosystem?Ans:Sustainable methods use resources in such a way that we can continue to use themindefinitely. A sustainable ecosystem (1) makes the most of renewable energy, (2)wastes nothing by recycling and reusing resources, (3) keeps populations in checkso resources are not overused, (4) depends on local biodiversity to perform manyof these tasks.Difficultylevel:medium34.Unlike the Icelandic Vikings or Inuit, the Greenland Viking society was not sustainable.Describe what we know about their collapse.Ans:From ice cores, we know the climate cooled due to natural causes and this madelife difficult for the population in terms of growing food and raising livestock. Interms of self-inflicted environmental damage, evidence from mud cores indicatesthat soil erosion was a significant problem. This was due to overgrazing livestock(cows), using grassland to insulate their homes, and cutting down forests for fuel,homes, and other wooden products. These impacts on the environment wereparticularly severe because the environment was sensitive to begin with. As thepopulation swelled to several thousand, the environment could no longer supportthe population and it crashed.Difficultylevel:medium35.Is our modern society acting sustainably? What are some areas of concern?Ans:Experts claim that humans are already living beyond the means our planet has tosupport us, and if we continue along this path, a population crash could occur,similar to the collapse of the Greenland Vikings. We use farming practices thaterode away topsoil faster than it can form. We have overharvested forests at theexpense of habitat and biodiversity, leading to increased soil erosion and waterpollution. We have overfished and overhunted and allowed invasive species tofurther degrade natural ecosystems. The population continues to growexponentially, and our consumption of resources and generation of wastecontinues unabated.Difficultylevel:hard

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Chapter 1Page9Guiding Question 1-5What can human societies and individuals do to develop sustainably?36.What is biomimicry?A)the term for cloning technologies and equipment that allows scientists to recreatephotosynthetic bacteria in laboratory settingsB)recreating natural ecosystems in areas where severe deforestation has occurredC)turning natural ecosystems into scientific experiment sites to help scientists betterunderstand their functioningD)the process of collecting data from various ecosystemsE)the use of nature as a model for our own systemsAns:EDifficultylevel:medium37.Which statement about environmental ethics is TRUE?A)All people with environmental ethics recycle.B)Environmental ethics have no control over how people resolve problems in theenvironment.C)People with environmental ethics tend to have an anthropogenic worldview ratherthan a biocentric worldview.D)Each person has a philosophy surrounding environmental ethics that influencestheir interactions with the natural environment.E)Worldviews do not tend to influence people's environmental ethics.Ans:DDifficultylevel:easy38.How does wealth inequality impede sustainable growth?A)Poorer nations lack natural resources.B)Underprivileged people sometimes exploit the environment in order to survive.C)Wealthier nations are very affected by resource availability and must pay highcosts to access them.D)People with the most money and power are the first to succumb to environmentalproblems.E)The world's natural resources are controlled by the vast majority of thepopulation.Ans:BDifficultylevel:medium39.Which statement is FALSE?A)In a biocentric worldview, all life is valued.B)An ecocentric worldview values the ecosystem as an intact whole.C)An ecocentric worldview includes all of the organisms and nonliving processesthat occur in an ecosystem.D)In an anthropogenic worldview, human beings have an instrumental value.E)An anthropogenic worldview places human lives and interests as the mostimportant.Ans:DDifficultylevel:medium

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Chapter 1Page1040.Which of the following choices is NOT an example of an anthropocentric worldview?A)clear-cutting a forest to sell timberB)testing a nuclear bombC)large commercial fishing ships processing tons of fish per dayD)purchasing a rice product stored in a recycled cardboard container instead of onestored in a plastic containerE)clearing land to build shopping mallsAns:DDifficultylevel:easy41.Which of the following personal attitudes will lead to the greatest long-termsustainability?A)The forest is there for us to use.B)The lake will be able to handle the raw sewage because it always has.C)It doesn't matter what we do because we don't have the power to change anything.D)I wonder how using this product will affect the environment and maybe there's abetter choice available.E)Scientists will figure out a way to reduce the effects of pollution.Ans:DDifficultylevel:medium42.How would you go about convincing a company to switch to renewable sources ofenergy?Ans:There are a growing number of companies that are obtaining more of their energyfrom renewable sources of energy. You would need to explain how switching torenewable sources of energy will save money over the long term, and how theswitch will result in less pollution and improvement to the health of the workersand the environment.Difficultylevel:medium43.You have decided that you want to live greener and have less of an impact on theenvironment. How will you accomplish this?Ans:You will need to switch to renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind,geothermal, and biomass. You will need to reduce your waste through recyclingand reusing. You will need to practice population control and decide how manychildren you will have based on what the environment can support. You will needto protect biodiversity by using local energy and food sources.Difficultylevel:medium

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Chapter 1Page1144.You have been given the task of making the fishing industry more sustainable. How willyou accomplish this task?Ans:You will have to educate fishers that the oceans can only support a certain catchsize and by overfishing they will make the industry unsustainable. By restrictingcatch size and the fishing season, you can make the industry sustainable andensure abundant catches in future seasons. You will also need to address theinternational fishing industry and get governments to realize that the fishingindustry is a global concern. All countries will need to protect the oceans toensure the future of the fishing industry.Difficultylevel:medium45.Refer to Infographic 1.5. Use the Infographic to describe ways that you could live moresustainably.Ans:One of the first things a person can do is to become environmentally literate. Thisincludes becoming informed about the issues but also learning to appreciate thenatural areas near where you live. Small behavioural changes are important. Canyou walk, bicycle, or take public transportation to go to school, work, or shoppingat least one day per week? Shopping behaviour can be changed: bring your ownshopping bags, question what you buy–do you need it? Do an inventory of yourgarbage. How many items were not necessary to purchase, or could have beenreused, recycled, or composted? Buy locally produced goods and foods. Do aninventory of your possessions. Donate or recycle unwanted items. Join a group byasking others: Are you interested in increasing the sustainability of your town? Doyou like to go hiking? Are you interested in wildlife? Many small steps add up.Begin today and continue to add sustainable behaviours to your lifestyle.Difficultylevel:medium

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Chapter 1Page1246.Please match each term in the left-hand column to the statement that it best exemplifies.A. empirical scienceActions that are beneficial at first but that change conditionssuch that their benefit declines over timeB. anthropogenicResearch whose findings are used to help solve practicalproblemsC. ecological footprintThe tendency of an individual to abuse commonly heldresources in order to maximize his or her own personalinterestD. instrumental valueThe personal philosophy that influences how a personinteracts with his or her natural environment and thus affectshow one responds to environmental problemsE. applied scienceA basic understanding of how ecosystems function and of theimpact of our choices on the environmentF. social trapsThe land needed to provide the resources and assimilate thewaste of a person or populationG. carrying capacityThe value or worth of an object, organism, or species is basedon its usefulness to humansH. tragedy of the commonsA scientific approach that investigates the natural worldthrough systematic observation and experimentationI. environmental ethicThe population size that a particular environment can supportindefinitelyJ. sliding reinforcerCaused by or related to human actionK. intrinsic valueThe value or worth of an object, organism, or species is basedon its mere existenceL. environmental literacyDecisions by individuals or groups that seem good at the timeand produce a short-term benefit, but that hurt society in thelong runAns:A. empirical scienceActions that are beneficial at first but that change conditionssuch that their benefit declines over time(J)B. anthropogenicResearch whose findings are used to help solve practicalproblems(E)C. ecological footprintThe tendency of an individual to abuse commonly heldresources in order to maximize his or her own personalinterest(H)D. instrumental valueThe personal philosophy that influences how a personinteracts with his or her natural environment and thus affectshow one responds to environmental problems (I)E. applied scienceA basic understanding of how ecosystems function and of theimpact of our choices on the environment (L)F. social trapsThe land needed to provide the resources and assimilate thewaste of a person or population(C)

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Chapter 1Page13G. carrying capacityThe value or worth of an object, organism, or species is basedon its usefulness to humans(D)H. tragedy of the commonsA scientific approach that investigates the natural worldthrough systematic observation and experimentation(A)I. environmental ethicThe population size that a particular environment can supportindefinitely(G)J. sliding reinforcerCaused by or related to human action(B)K. intrinsic valueThe value or worth of an object, organism, or species is basedon its mere existence(K)L. environmental literacyDecisions by individuals or groups that seem good at the timeand produce a short-term benefit, but that hurt society in thelong run(F)

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Page1Guiding Question 2-1What kinds of questions are under the purview of science and why is science limited in thisway? Why do we say science is a “process” and that conclusions are always tentative(nothing is ever proven)?1.Which of the following is FALSE regarding a scientific theory?A)It can be modified over time as new information is discovered.B)It is the result of a hypothesis being repeatedly supported by many lines ofinquiry.C)It has strong predictive powers that can explain observed phenomena.D)It is an idea based only on observations and inductions.E)It is a very well-supported hypothesis.Ans:DDifficultylevel:easy2.A(n) ______ is a hypothesis that has been widely accepted, as well as extensively andrigorously tested.A)theoryB)factC)explanationD)definitionE)proofAns:ADifficultylevel:easy3.Why can scientific opinions change over time?A)All conclusions in science are considered tentative and open to revision.B)Our understanding of a concept or process can change as scientists learn more.C)New evidence may be used to overturn a prevailing conclusion.D)All of the aboveE)None of the aboveAns:DDifficultylevel:easy4.Scientists generally require a level of certainty of at least ______ to be sure theirconclusions are correct.A)50%B)60%C)75%D)80%E)95%Ans:EDifficultylevel:medium5.Cell theory states that all living organisms are made up of one or more cells. Which ofthe following statements is FALSE regarding this theory?A)All living organisms discovered so far have been made up of one or more cells.B)A newly discovered organism is very likely to be made up of one or more cells.C)Cells are the basic units of life for all known living organisms.D)Cells are the basic building blocks of life.E)No living organism will ever be discovered that is not made up of cells.Ans:EDifficultylevel:medium6.The multiple lines of evidence in support of the “CFC hypothesis” have elevated it tothe status of __________.A)lawB)theoryC)proofD)factE)ruleAns:BDifficultylevel:easy

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Chapter 2Page27.Which is TRUE regarding the following statements: (1) “Higher levels of greenhousegases cause increased warming of the troposphere,” and (2) “Earth is the only habitableplanet in the solar system”?A)Both statements are obviously wrong.B)Both statements have been proven true by long-standing scientific theories.C)Only statement (1) is a scientific hypothesis that is testable by scientific methods.D)Only statement (2) can generate falsifiable predictions.E)Neither statement is suitable for science.Ans:CDifficultylevel:easy8.Which of the following question(s) can be solved with empirical evidence?A)Do ghosts exist?B)What is the meaning of life?C)What is my cat thinking?D)What causes the changing of the seasons?E)Is the death penalty wrong?Ans:DDifficultylevel:easy9.Which of the following statements is NOT falsifiable?A)Car exhaust contributes to ozone depletion.B)Iced wings of a plane contribute to some plane crashes.C)Dogs become tired when they are hungry.D)People should not litter because it is wrong.E)All of the above are falsifiable statements.Ans:DDifficultylevel:medium10.Which of the following hypotheses is NOT testable?A)CFCs are causing depletion of the ozone layer.B)Bacterial water pollution increases the risk of infectious diseases.C)Increased salt intake leads to high blood pressure.D)Reincarnation exists.E)Increased UV exposure increases the risk of skin cancer.Ans:DDifficultylevel:easy11.Tests of significance help to determine if an event was due to chance or something else.The probability value is expressed as ap-value. What does it mean to have ap-valueequal to 0.05?Ans:The null hypothesis is that the result observed is due to chance. Ap-value is theprobability of obtaining a result at least as extreme as the one observed (assumingthe null hypothesis is true). Ap-value less than 0.05 means rejection of the null(by chance) hypothesis. This means the result is statistically significant. Thesmaller thep-value, the more strongly the test rejects the null hypothesis.Difficultylevel:hard

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